ESCAPE GONE WRONG

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Singapore


JASMINE Seah was the sort of girl with a lot to live for.


In school, the 15-year-old was popular, had many friends, was well-liked by teachers, and was doing well in her studies.

The girl, who was of Thai-Singapore parentage, stood out because of her cutie-pie looks. She had a boyfriend and even took up a job as a part-time waitress.

Then, barely a fortnight ago, she did something foolish.

She had a quarrel with her mother, who stopped her from going out when it was late at night.

Unhappy, Jasmine decided to sneak out from the window of her fourth-storey flat after midnight. It was not known what her parents were doing then.

But while trying to climb out of the kitchen window, she appeared to have slipped or lost her grip.

She fell four floors and lay unconscious.

The incident happened at Block 531, Bedok North Street 3 in the early hours of 3 Jun. A police spokesman said they received a call about the incident at about 1.30am.

Jasmine was rushed to Changi General Hospital but was pronounced dead at 2pm.

Police are investigating the case as an unnatural death.
Click to see larger image

When The New Paper on Sunday team visited Jasmine's family last week, they were still in shock.

Her Thai mother, who declined to be named, said: 'She was just a kid. During the old kampung days, kids would sneak out from the windows to play when parents don't let them go out of the house.

'But the houses we live in today are different.'

Tears welled up in her eyes and she refused further comment.

Jasmine has a younger sister.

GOOD DAUGHTER

Jasmine's father said she was a good daughter and he never had to worry about her schoolwork.

She was a Secondary 3 student at Pasir Ris Secondary School and a member of the school's National Cadet Corp squad.

'Now that she is gone, we don't want to talk about her,' her father said in Mandarin.

Jasmine's boyfriend could not be reached for comment.

Before she died, Jasmine had worked briefly as a part-time waitress at cafe-bar George's in East Coast.

A few hours before she fell to her death, she had called a manager there.

The 21-year-old manager, who wanted to be known only as Gilbert, told The New Paper on Sunday: 'She had called to say that she couldn't work anymore, but she did not give any reason for her resignation.'

He said Jasmine had worked for only two nights.

'After she said she was leaving, she asked if she could collect her two nights' pay. I told her 'yes' and told her to come after 11pm,' Gilbert recalled. 'She did not turn up.'

Gilbert learned about Jasmine's death the day after she fell. He handed her salary, about $80, to her parents.

Gilbert added: 'At her wake, her aunt told me that she had a quarrel with her mother who refused to let her go out that night. It's a pity that she died this way.'

Also at the wake was Mrs Lee-Yap Foong Mui, the school's vice-principal, who was there with some of Jasmine's classmates.

She told The New Paper on Sunday that Jasmine was a 'well-behaved girl'. 'She was a cheerful girl and her grades were above average,' Mrs Lee said.

ALL DRESSED UP

A neighbour, who wanted to be known as only Mr Lee, said he saw Jasmine lying motionless at the foot of the block and she was all dressed up, with her handbag and handphone in her hand.

Mr Lee, who is in his 40s, was watching a movie on TV when he heard a loud thud. 'About five minutes later, I heard a woman screaming from upstairs and she ran down the stairs. She was hysterical.'

The owner of a provision shop at Jasmine's block remembered her. 'It's a pity. She used to frequent the Internet shop next door and bought drinks from me. She has a pretty face that you'll not forget.'

Labels: Misadventure